Chennai: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has rolled out Tamil Nadu’s first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system at the Paranur Toll Plaza on the Tambaram–Tindivanam section of NH-179B, introducing barrier-less toll collection for highway users.
The system uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and FASTag-based Electronic Toll Collection to identify vehicles and process toll payments without requiring them to stop at a conventional toll barrier.
Vehicles Can Pass Through Without Stopping
Under the MLFF system, vehicles can move through the tolling point without stopping at a physical toll booth. NHAI said the technology is intended to reduce human intervention in toll collection and improve the efficiency of toll operations.
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The system is also expected to help reduce congestion and travel time at toll locations while lowering fuel consumption and vehicular emissions, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
NHAI said highway users should maintain a functional FASTag with sufficient balance to avoid receiving an Electronic Notice (E-Notice).
MLFF Being Expanded Across National Highways
The Paranur installation is part of NHAI’s phased rollout of MLFF technology at toll locations across the country
The system has already been implemented at Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat–Bharuch section of NH-48 in Gujarat, Mundka-Bakkarwala Toll Plaza on UER-II in Delhi-NCR, and at Shahjahanpur, Daulatpura and Manoharpura toll plazas on the Delhi–Jaipur section of NH-48 in Rajasthan.
NHAI has also deployed MLFF at Gharaunda Toll Plaza on the Panipat–Jalandhar section of National Highway-44 in Haryana.
Technology-Based Tolling to Reduce Physical Infrastructure
The barrier-free model is designed to shift toll collection away from conventional physical toll plazas by combining vehicle recognition technology with FASTag-based electronic payments.
NHAI said the approach can reduce operational costs associated with physical toll-plaza infrastructure and strengthen transparency and efficiency in toll operations.
The initiative is part of the government’s broader push to use technology for seamless travel and citizen-centric highway services.
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